FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Engineers from across the globe convened at Fort Leonard Wood — the home of the regiment — for the U.S. Army Engineer School’s Regimental Week, held April 20–25, 2026.
Preceding the main events, the 19th Lt. Gen. Robert B. Flowers Best Sapper Competition kicked off on April 18, 2026, running alongside the annual Engineer Regimental Week.
Engineer family members gathered April 21, 2026, to experience the history, technical and competitive elements of the regiment. Highlights of the day included networking, hands-on training with heavy equipment simulators, and a front-row seat to the Best Sapper Competition’s Terrain Shaping Gauntlet.
The Fallen Sapper Memorial service commenced on the evening of April 23, 2026, featuring an invocation by Chaplain (Col.) Craig Ludwig and the national anthem sung by Capt. Nolan McCoy, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 5th Engineer Battalion.
Soldiers and retirees shared accounts of fallen comrades before Col. Timothy Hudson, U.S. Army Engineer School commandant, addressed the gathering at Sapper Memorial Grove.
“Thank you for taking the time to remember our fallen,” Hudson said.
He noted the profound significance of the names etched into the walls of the grove and said each time he views the names of Soldiers he knew personally, he is moved by their sacrifice.
“When I see the names of those I knew personally it hits me afresh again,” Hudson said. “Their memories. The last time I saw them and spoke to them. Their families who bore the crushing news. Their lives ended early and abruptly, but not in vain. It is the cost of our freedom.”
USAES leaders then laid a commemorative wreath, followed by Dan Jackson playing "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes. The ceremony concluded with a firing of volleys and the sounding of taps echoing across the grove.
Engineer week continued the next day with an address from Lt. Gen. William Graham, 56th chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
His key points included the regiment’s ability to enable the Army to move more rapidly and lethally with increased efficiency.
Graham said the regiment remains committed to its mission by focusing on key operational areas: ensuring equipment readiness at the point of need; mastering breaching, bridging, and shaping operations; providing critical problem-solving support to maneuver commanders; and leading the regiment’s ongoing transformation.
He acknowledged engineers from the three Army components of regular Army, National Guard and Reserve, noting that every component plays a critical role in the Army’s future and that operational readiness remains the cornerstone of that success.
“The Army is only as good as your individual efforts. You don’t know when that call is going to come,” Graham said.
Graham invited several Soldiers to stand and speak on their areas of engineering expertise before taking questions and comments at the end of his address.
“Thank you for your candor and participation today,” Graham said. “Thank you for what you do each and every day. Thank you for pouring your hearts and souls into solving problems.”
Taking the podium, Hudson provided an overview of the regiment — highlighting the diverse roles of Sappers, mappers, builders, bridgers, divers, firefighters and power providers — before yielding the floor to Col. Chad Ramskugler, USAES assistant commandant, for a discussion on doctrine.
“All of these updates are possible thanks to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence. The doctrine team is making sure you have the latest doctrine based on lessons learned from around the world,” Ramskugler said.
He challenged every engineer in the room to read the field manual for Engineer Operations published in December 2025.
“That is the document that describes all of the capabilities we have across echelon,” Ramskugler said. “And the new Engineer Platoons and Field Data document will be published to fit in your cargo pocket.”
And, he added, Soldiers can also visit the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate’s website for continued doctrinal research and proficiency.
Col. Mark Glaspell, 1st Engineer Brigade commander, provided an overview of recent facility enhancements, including a Fort Leonard Wood training range. The site features vehicle fighting positions, a mortar pit, and integrated obstacles designed to provide Soldiers with realistic, hands-on training environments.
“It is operational, but not complete. The Sappers have started to use it for some of their reconnaissance patrols,” Glaspell said.
The week concluded with the Engineer Regimental Ball, April 24, 2026, at Nutter Field House.